


Elementary Emotions

by orphan_account



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: 2doc - Freeform, AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Azul, College, Extended One Shot, Fluff, Gay, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Muds, Murdoc Is A Nervous Pickle, School, Stu Is Too Cute For His Own Good, StuPot, University, gay fluff, possible future smut, schooling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 06:00:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10847919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: AU where Stu and Murdoc meet at University. Highkey fluff, lowkey sexual innuendos. Slight character personality shifts.





	1. In Denial

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there. Thanks for looking into this. This is my first published work in the Gorillaz fandom. I know this chapter is a tad short, but hang in there, I'll have more updates soon! Enjoy.
> 
> Also told in 3rd person from Murdocs pov.

Murdoc took a drag of his cigarette before snuffing it out. He was just between classes at uni and needed a break from the stress. Pulling his phone out from his pocket he checks the time, grumbling a small curse and heading off into the west wing of the building. He carried a large textbook under his arm as he walked, not needing anything else. Earbuds pumped music into his ears so he didn’t have to listen to the idiotic student body always pulsing around him. Yet as unhappy as he always seemed, this next class would put a right smile on Murdoc’s face, though he’d never admit to it.

Murdoc pulled the earbuds out and took his seat behind the tall boy with blue hair. His face remained stoic as other kids piled in and took their seats and the teacher was strolling in with coffee even though it was hitting the afternoon. 

“Good afta'noon Murdoc!” The blue haired boy said enthusiastically. He turned in his seat smiling like a fool, his two front teeth missing. The smile reached all the way up to his blacked out eyes.

Murdoc didn’t even crack a smile and looked un-amusedly at the student. “Mm, hey.” His voice sounded bored but he was only trying to keep his heart from pounding out from his chest. Another thing he wouldn’t ever admit to. 

“T’s so nice to ‘ear your cheery voice, Muds.” Murdoc inhaled at the use of the nickname Stuart had given him when they first met. He came into class soaked and muddy from falling on the campus grounds, and sat behind the blue haired kid who quickly took an interest. Especially once he learned his name, the nickname had stuck. 

“Didn’t I say not to call me that, Faceache?” Murdoc’s voice was low and rude, but it never seemed to have an affect on Stuart. He was always just smiling with that toothy grin, staring with those large black eyes, laughing right back no matter how rude Murdoc was. He liked that about him, too. “Go on and turn ‘round then. Lectures about to start.” He said gruffly.

“I’d much rather talk wif you, Muds. So ‘ow bout we go out afta classes today? My treat.” Stuart’s grin made the older man bite back a hard blush. He would never admit to his heart skipping a beat or how his palms got instantly clammy. The damned bloke was probably just asking as one mate to another, nothing behind it.

“Uh,” damn, he stumbled, “sure, mate, why not? I ain’t got nothin’ else goin’ on.” His voice was low and admittedly a bit shaky. It’s not like everyday the crooked-nosed gruff man got asked to go anywhere, let alone by a dastardly sweet and good-looking guy.


	2. Highschool Nerves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more Murdoc oriented, but begins to fill out the short story line with some emotional insight and angst and then gets gay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So happy I could update this as soon as possible! I managed to make this one a little longer. I tried focusing on the character more. 
> 
> /Murdoc has a slight character personality shift in this AU/

Murdoc wasn’t able to focus at all during the lecture, or at all during the day. Halfway through the class, Stuart had turned around to place a small piece of paper with some messy writing on it on his desk.

“926-886-3825 ~ Stuart Pot (faceache). Call me.”

And since then Murdoc reveled in how gradeschool it all felt. He’d never been too popular during his younger years, hell, he still wasn’t popular now. As the years passed on he managed to get into less and less fights, but also became more and more of a loner, and though he would never admit it, the mere act of not only getting invited out, but also a phone number within the same hour made his breath come out a little heavy and fogged up his thinking. 

The rest of the day no longer mattered to Murdoc, not that it ever did to begin with. He sat through lecture by lecture until he was back at his apartment staring down at the now slightly crumpled paper. His eyes delicately traced every little pencil mark, all the little loops of the numbers, the way he casually scribbled the nickname Murdoc had given to him. Murdoc pulled out his phone, debating if he should really give the bloke the time of day. They’d only had little back in forths in class, nothing ever more than just a little name calling or questions about the lecture, stupid babble. Here sat Murdoc anyways, holding the number in his hand, phone in the other, debating if Stuart was really worth his precious time.

With a big breath and the press of a few buttons Murdoc was listening to the ringtone. Sure, the kid was good-looking, but what did he really have to offer to him? He was just as nervous right now as he was in class and he couldn’t even see him this time. Murdoc hated feeling this way. In fact, he never felt this way. He was always so sure of everything he did and felt, and Stuart’s large black eyes unsettled him in just the right way, enough to make him question how he did everything in his presence. Maybe that’s what was so alluring to Murdoc in the first place. Maybe jus- 

The other end of the phone picked up and Murdoc’s breath hitched, caught off guard. “Ello,” Stuart’s familiar voice sounded over the phone. Murdoc licked his lips and was about to talk before the voice kept going, “You’ve reached Stuart Pot. I’m nawt able t’come to the phone right now. Leave a message!” His happy voice rang into the man’s ear. The phone beeped and the line went silent, awaiting a message to be left. Simply closing the phone, Murdoc threw it onto the table and rubbed his hands over his face.

How fucking dense was he? Of course Stuart didn’t want to actually go out with him. He was too old, too rude, his nose too crooked, his voice too gruff. Hell, they didn’t even know one another. Murdoc was even genuinely surprised that the bloke didn’t give him a fake number. Cursing at his own eagerness, Murdoc grabbed his phone and took off to his room before his obnoxious roommates came in to make too much noise and cloud up the air with their stupidity.

Murdoc sat up in his bed, adjusting the knobs of his bass, a freshly lit cigarette dangling from his lips. Finally it was in the right tune and he lay back, plucking the strings to an unknown song as he inhaled on his cancer stick, blowing the smoke out the other side of his lip. Closing his eyes, he thought about how mad he was that Stuart didn’t pick up. Or more accurately how he was mad about the fact that he actually thought Stuart would pick up. Murdoc furrowed his brows and focused solely on his bass. His fingers plucked away with a lovely accuracy and time to no song in particular. 

Before long, his roommates came home from either classes or working and interrupted his concentration on playing nameless music. Their loud and rambunctious behavior was enough to sour Murdoc’s mood once more. He carefully stashed away his bass and got up to find a drink. He wasn’t too much older than the two others he lived with, but he still felt it was enough of a gap for them to treat him differently. They always tried to be cool and loud and heavily party and he just wasn’t interested in them enough to give them his time of day. 

“Aye. Look, the grump ass decided to come out of his damned room. Nice ta see ya mate!” Barbara teased. He hated her. She has tried to come on to him more times than he had fingers and toes. It wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy shaggin’, but his roommate absolutely repulsed him and he couldn’t help but hate the red haired dame.

“Seems ya right, Barb, good ol’ Murdy come out from his little hole to talk to the livin’ it seems.” His other roommate, Nick piped in. 

“Did you bring me more alcohol?” His voice was gruff and demanding, not caring enough to let them bother him.

“Wow, world record for the alcohol, hm? Not even surprised ya grimey bastard.” Barb’s voice forced a growl from his lips but she tossed his rum to him nonetheless. “Go on then, ya drunk bastard, drink it up.” Her words came out like poison as he shuffled past her and into the kitchen.

“Nasty whore.” He heard her scoff as he walked by. Murdoc rummaged around the cupboards before he realized there was nothing to eat and settled down at the table to begin his drinking binge. Just as he was going to sit, he felt the slight vibration in his pocket. First he ignored it and sat all the way down but gave in once he felt it keep buzzing over and over. Not even bothering to check the caller, he answered. 

“For fucks sake, what?”

“... Muds?” Murdoc’s jaw dropped at his nickname. The sweet voice went straight to his head faster than alcohol ever could. “Muds, yeah, ‘ts me. I’m sorry ‘bout not pickin’ up earlier. I was in the baff gettin’ ready to ‘angout wif yew.” Murdoc swore he could hear a small amount of nervous tension in the man’s voice, but dismissed it entirely, trying to gather himself up, heart beating against his ribcage.

“Oi, thought you’d right forgot, Faceache.” Murdoc’s voice wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t the most pleasant thing, either. He could feel Stuart smile it seemed. Murdoc was beside himself. He hadn’t even cracked open the alcohol and felt himself sway just slightly, making his anger and annoyance from moments before seemingly disappear. That is, before he heard a loud crash in the room next to him and some yelling. “Fuckin’..” He muttered under his breath, forgetting he was on the phone.

“No I surely didn’ forget about yew.” Murdoc was about to smile, but he just silently cursed himself for being so wrapped up in every little thing the blue haired man said. They chatted on the phone for a few more minutes before hanging up and decided that Stuart would come and get Murdoc from his shared apartment, after much arguing of course, and they would go out to a mystery place in which Murdoc had no clue and Stuart had pushed for exceedingly. 

Murdoc quickly abandoned his alcohol on the table, not even bothering to break open the tab and jumped in the shower. He realized how eager he was, and then realized how dumb he was for being so eager. Why not be eager for once? Of course he didn’t answer his own question and put his efforts into getting dressed and ready before Stuart got there. 

Murdoc checked himself out in the mirror after finishing up his eyeliner. He thought he looked alright, for a casual hangout. Didn’t look like he was trying too hard but it didn’t completely look like he didn’t care. He wore his usual beat up leather jacket, a red undershirt that barely covered his whole stomach, tight dark blue jeans that tucked neatly into his scuffed boots, along with his few usual accessories. He tugged his necklace out from his shirt, the upside down cross flashing gold in the mirror, and turned his head to make sure all his few piercings were in the right spots. He mused his hair a little, smiling at his reflection. It’d been a long while since he went out. 

A knock sounded at the door and Murdoc spared himself one last look as he shot out of his room, trying to get the door as casually as possible before one of his obnoxious roommates did. Alas, he was too late and the nasty female thing he lived with answered, letting a puff of smoke right out into the visitor’s face as she talked. Murdoc furrowed his brow and tried to hold back the growl that bubbled from his chest. 

Barbara’s voice was low and scratchy as she leaned grossly in the doorway, clearly not amused by the visitor. “...yeah I’ll get him I ‘spose.” She turned, ready to yell for Murdoc, but instead turned just to see his face and jumped back in surprise. Murdoc couldn’t help but chuckle seeing her reaction.

“Right here.” Giving a small wave before stepping out the door and next to Stuart. He could hear her mutters as he shut the door, but didn’t care to listen to her little remarks about gay blokes or something along those lines. “Mm, hey.” Murdoc shifted his gaze to Stuart, finally looking at him fully. 

Murdoc raised a brow at him, “What? ‘M clothes dirty or somethin’?” He looked over his outfit and back up at Stu, who was just staring slack-jawed at Murdoc with those huge black eyes. He shook his head.

“No no. Nufin’s wrong at all. Yew look great. Wasn’ expectin’ yew to look so good jus’ for me.” Once more, Murdoc swore he could hear the man be nervous and shrugged it off just as quickly again. “Also neva knew ‘ow short yew were..” A toothy/toothless grin came to his face, making Murdoc grunt in response.

“Are we gonna get goin’ or? Where is this mystery place you’re so insistent on goin’.” He turned away so Stuart couldn’t see his dumb expression and started walking to the car, not waiting for an answer. Damn, it was so soon and the few words the tosser did manage to say rang in Murdoc’s ears. He opened the passenger door to the shoddy, run down looking vehicle and climbed in with an oomph. He watched as Stuart stood on his doorstep still and slowly made his way down the short sidewalk to the car. 

Murdoc wasn’t sure if it was just him, but Stuart seemed to walk purposefully slow and he swore that those black eyes watched him as he looked on. Stuart was a little less flashy than Murdoc, making him feel like he did get a little carried away with his clothes, but the blue-topped tower of a man still looked great. He was wearing a pale yellow graphic-tee, the image of a blue and white pill on the front of it, fitted just right and partially tucked into his light blue jeans, and tall pale blue converse sneakers . A few colorful band-aids littered his arms and Murdoc even noticed the new-looking pink nail polish on his fingers. 

He walked to the driver’s side of the car, his lanky limbs adjusting to the space awkwardly before he got settled in. “Right. Away we go then, Muds?” Stuart looked over to Murdoc, who looked right into the black eyes, feeling hopelessly like he was going out on his first date in high school. He felt giddy, silly, nervous, sweaty, and didn’t even currently know how to handle himself. The word angst popped into his head but he waved it away. He’s not in grade school or high school, he’s just going out to… to wherever with a mate from his class in uni. 

‘It’s fine,’ he told himself. “Let’s go mate,” he told Stuart with a handsome and sharp grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do keep in mind I warned about slight personality shifts between the characters, as this is an AU. I do like this chapter, though. I feel as if it makes people go, "Mudssssssss." I did. 
> 
> Hope you guys liked it. Chapter three will contain a lot more gay. This is just leading up into it! Get ready for the gay, cause it is coming.
> 
>  
> 
> >>Stuart's number is something I made up. It's actually funny if you decipher it. First person to decipher it in the comments can request a 2Doc one-shot/babble from me.<<

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it. I'm always so nervous about others reading my work. Once again, I'm sorry it's so short. I'll have the next chapter up soon. Be expecting super gay fluff!


End file.
